This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for distributing audio programming to passenger entertainment systems, and more particularly for distributing audio programming to passenger entertainment systems on-board aircraft.
Passenger carriers, such as aircraft, trains and buses, are often equipped with systems for providing entertainment for passengers. One popular type of passenger entertainment system provides audio programming, generally in the form of a plurality of audio programs including music and speech, on a plurality of channels which may be selected by individual passengers for their listening entertainment and information.
The commercial airline industry, in particular, has made extensive use of passenger entertainment systems, and audio passenger entertainment systems have become common-place aboard commercial passenger aircraft. Such on-board passenger entertainment systems typically include audio playback apparatus for reproducing the audio programs embedded in optical compact disks (CDs) and/or in magnetic audio tapes. Currently, such CDs and tapes are periodically delivered (typically once per month) to an aircraft, for utilization by the aircraft's playback apparatus until replaced when the following month's CD and tape programming is distributed to the aircraft.
Experience has demonstrated that conventional passenger audio entertainment systems using removable program recording media are susceptible to loss of program material due to theft and damage. At the same time, the various audio tapes and/or CDs must be physically delivered to and removed from each aircraft, and the several audio tapes and CDs must be manipulated during their installation in and removal from the playback apparatus aboard each aircraft.